Clownfish

Clownfish, also known as Anemonefish, come in all shapes and sizes, and are a very entertaining and popular addition to any marine / saltwater tank. Clownfish are most notable for the symbiotic relationship they share with various species of anemone invertibrates. The Clownfish provide protection, food, and shelter for their anemone friends, and are naturally immune to the often poisonous antigens that anemone use to protect themselves.

Pictured above is a mature Ocellaris Clownfish. The Ocellaris Clownfish, Clownfish or False Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a popular aquarium fish. It is very closely related to A. percula, the Orange Clownfish or “True Percula Clownfish”, and often lives in association with the sea anemoneHeteractis magnifica, using them for shelter and protection. Generally, Ocellaris clownfish are hardier, and slightly less aggressive than its Percula counterpart. Both species are found in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the Fiji and Tonga regions (wiki entry).

The bubble-tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), also known as the bubble tip anemone, bubble anemone or bulb anemone, is a species of sea anemone of Indo-Pacific origin. In the wild, this anemone is a natural host of several species of anemonefishes, including theCinnamon (Amphiprion melanopus), Tomato (A. frenatus), Orange-fin (A. chrysopterus), Amphiprion clarkii, Amphiprion ocellaris, Amphiprion percula and Maroon (Premnas biaculeatus).

Pictured above is a Maroon Clownfish with a bubble tipped anemone and an anemone crab. Maroon Clownfish readily attach to the Bubble Tipped Anemone popular in the aquarium hobby. Be warned that Maroon Clownfish are the most aggressive and territorial of the clownfish common to hobbyist aquariums. Take precautions as necessary to address any potential issues.

The maroon clownfish, Premnas biaculeatus, is a species of clownfish that is found in the Indo-Pacific from western Indonesia to Taiwan and the Great Barrier Reef.[1] They can grow up to be about 17 cm (6. 7 in), and as they grow, they become more aggressive towards other clownfish. It is also known as the spine-cheeked clownfish, or the maroon anemonefish. It is the only member of the genus Premnas, although it has been suggested that the taxonepigrammatafrom Sumatra should be recognized as a distinct species, Premnas epigrammata (Fowler, 1904).[2] (more from wikipedia)

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